Forest Stewardship

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WSU  Extension  FoRestry

 Washington State University Extension's Puget Sound Forest Stewardship Program has a host of fantastic forestry education and landowner resources. We encourage you to check them out! A common question we are asked is - who can I get to assist me in developing a forest management plan if Whidbey Island Conservation District staff are unavailable? WSU Extension has developed and maintains a "Forester & Silvicultural Contractor Directory" for landowners in the Puget Sound region. A consulting forester provides professional forest management services to landowners, while a sivicultural contractor provides the labor and equipment to perform forest management tasks, including site preparation, tree planting, vegetation control, pre-commercial thinning, slash disposal, etc. This searchable online directory is state-wide in scope and up-to-date.

forest stewardship resources

federal assistance programs

cost share & tax assistance

Forest Stewardship begins with a forest plan. As a landowner, a forest management/stewardship plan helps you to optimize a mix of conservation benefits, including timber, wildlife habitat, recreation, aesthetic value, and many others, by providing a working guide for you now and well into the future. A good forest management/stewardship plan combines both the geographic and natural characteristics of your woodlot with your conservation goals and objectives to produce a set of forest management recommendations.

Whidbey Island Conservation District staff provide free, non-regulatory and no obligation technical forest planning services - including, but not limited to the development of a forest management plan - for Whidbey Island forest landowners. Staff can also provide guidance on a number of cost-share programs and tax benefit programs for which forest landowners may qualify. Visit our Cost Share & Tax Incentive Programs page to learn more. We can also assist you in finding the answers to a wide variety of forestry questions you may have, including: 

• The health of your forest acreage
• How to best manage your timber for current or future harvests
• Vegetation management for forest & bluff slope stabilization
• Best Management Practices for forests through USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service
• ...and much, much more!

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